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The funniest joke from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019

Surrealist Swedish comedian Olaf Falafel won a prize for his food-themed rib-tickler

Mon, Aug 19, 2019, 12:51

Chris Wiegand

The gag comes from Olaf Falafel’s show, It’s One Giant Leek for Mankind

The surrealist Swedish comedian Olaf Falafel has won the Dave funniest joke of the fringe award for 2019. He received the prize for a rib-tickler from one of two shows he has performed at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe: “I keep randomly shouting out ‘Broccoli’ and ‘Cauliflower’ – I think I might have Florets.”

The gag comes from Falafel’s show It’s One Giant Leek for Mankind which, suiting its fruit-and-veg theme, was performed at the Pear Tree.

The comedian, who also works as an illustrator, said: “This is a fantastic honour but it’s like I’ve always said: jokes about white sugar are rare, jokes about brown sugar . . . Demerara.”

This is the 12th year the TV channel Dave has awarded a funniest joke of the fringe prize. A shortlist was compiled by a panel of 10 comedy critics who each submitted their favourite six jokes, without naming the comic, with the gags then put to a vote by 2,000 members of the public.

Luke Hales, Dave’s channel director, said: “What a year it’s been for current affairs and British eccentricities. The comedic opportunities to be creative are endless and above all we’ve all needed a good laugh in 2019.”

There is just one joke about Brexit in the top 10. “What’s driving Brexit?” asked Milton Jones. “From here it looks like it’s probably the Duke of Edinburgh.”

Most of the jokes steer clear of current affairs and have a timeless quality. “A thesaurus is great,” observes Ross Smith, who has two gags in the top 10. “There’s no other word for it.”

Adele Cliff, the sole female comic in the top 10, was recognised for her joke: “I accidentally booked myself on to an escapology course. I’m really struggling to get out of it.”

10 funniest jokes of the 2019 fringe

1. I keep randomly shouting out “Broccoli” and “Cauliflower”. I think I might have Florets. – Olaf Falafel